Posted on 10/07/2014 10:59:39 PM PDT by wetphoenix
Rebels claim that Moscow closes borders for volunteers from Russia and suppliers of freights to Donbass. To supporters of "the Russian spring" arises more and more questions from law enforcement agencies. Experts consider that the power intends to interfere further with private initiatives in the help to rebels of DNR and LNR.
According to the field commander from DNR Oleg Miller, initially, when the Ukrainian crisis only inflamed, people with the weapon weren't allowed to pass neither in, nor out. But, as he claims, the border wasn't protected effectively that gave the chance to carry out big convoys with people and humanitarian aid.
Now law enforcement agencies regained control over situation: now they equally detain violators of border and rebels. According to Miller, all crossed the border in informal places are considered as felons.
"On official check points of business it isn't better: it is almost impossible to issue humanitarian freight. For transportation of 100 jackets our person crossed border there and back about 100 times. The Russian frontier guards seriously changed the attitude towards volunteers and activists" — speaks Miller.
(Excerpt) Read more at gazeta.ru ...
The rebel and the coordinator of non-humanitarian aid Alexander Zhuchkovsky also says "Gazete.Ru" that problems on border with a transportation of volunteers and freights for the last weeks became frequent and it becomes more difficult to carry out informal deliveries.
"Yes, our initiatives are taunted, holes on border were closed: for example, we couldn't transport undocumented armored vehicles for a week. So far it is difficult to tell is it "local excesses" or the beginning of a systematic policy of suppression of public initiatives in support of Novorossiya" — told the rebel.
"So far I think that after all the first though it is impossible to exclude that security officers received a starting signal on prosecution of the persons developing independent activity, inconvenient for the state, in support of Donbass. As option, security officers work various denunciations about "extremism" from our liberal foes: similar denunciations was for these months much. Personally at me and my people so far problems didn't arise though some signals already were" — Zhuchkovsky tells.
Miller connects problems on border that Moscow now not to a private initiative in the conflict region as it is more favorable to stabilize a situation and to keep the gas market.
Miller estimated the number of people in a militia approximately at 30–35 thousand people: "Full data aren't present — difficult to count". From them 10–15% — volunteers from Russia, 20% — from other regions of Ukraine, are confirmed by the rebel.
Now a situation in Donbass unstable, there are active military operations in Donetsk to the airport, Debaltsevo and Avdeevke. Most of field commanders of the pro-Russian separatists insist on continuation of military operations as they are afraid that above-mentioned population centers will become the base for possible counterattack by the Ukrainian troops.
However occupation of these places threatens with failure of gas negotiations and strengthening of sanctions concerning Russia. Besides, military operations can derail elections in November for a post of heads of the republics and in their parliaments.
"Russia and Europe need peace, and in Ukraine 65% of military equipment is destroyed (figures Petro Poroshenko sounded). It doesn't mean that the remained equipment from the reactivated new old stocks under way. From five captured tanks we bring together three. Equipment old, nobody prepared for war. War is possible, but not now, only through some period of time. It as conflict of Georgia to South Ossetia: it can last decades" — considers Miller.
Recently to many supporters of "the Russian spring" troubles and in Russia itself began.
At the end of September Alexey Zhivov, the organizer of rally "The third fight for Donbass" (the action united supporters of introduction of Russian troops in Donbass), told about big problems with coordination of meeting in Moscow. Thus "The action of grief" on Poklonnaya Gora which paraded for criticism against Russian authorities, was allowed to hold nevertheless, though promised a penalty for excess of number of its declared participants.
Problems appeared for active propagandists of "the Russian spring". So, concerning the website "Satellite and Disorder" FSB conducts investigation regarding extremism, the editor-in-chief of a resource Egor Prosvirnin reported on October 2.
He didn't exclude criminal charges "in connection with activity of the website" under part 2 of article 280 UK (public appeals to extremism with use of mass media) providing till five years of a labor colony. It became clear later that the application to FSB was written by the human rights activist Vladimir Yusupov, who are accusing the media in coordination of illegal military aid to people's republics.
Yusupov asked to check Prosvirnina regarding "acquisition of the weapon, regulated equipment, etc., as having signs of the crime provided by Art. 222 of the criminal code of Russian Federation". Probably, the statement was connected with that "Satellite" actively urged followers to help Alexander Zhuchkovsky coordinating deliveries of "non-humanitarian aid" to Novorossiya. Yusupov also demanded from law enforcement agencies to study "all circumstances of a smuggling of the illicit weapon and special equipment to the territory of the foreign state with crossing of border of Russia" and to check "all circumstances of this traffic, as having probability of the subsequent commission of act of terrorism in the territory of Russia".
"The satellite and Disorder" works since April 28, 2012 and nearly from the first day of work "the most various people, from communists and liberals to deputies of the State Duma" threaten to sue as for allegedly extremist right wing publications — told "Gazete.Ru" Egor Prosvirnin. — I believe that such statements there was already a set, but the authorities didn't pay to them attention (in spite of the fact that we, for example, actively supported opposition mayor campaign of Navalny). That fact that made out extremism on "Satellite" right now, along with closing of "voyentorg"(military surplus shop), a delay of freights for Novorossiya on border, prosecution of supporters of DNR and LNR, a detaining by TsPE of the volunteers who came back to Russia, etc., allows me to assume that the matter is in attempts to destroy the non-state infrastructure supporting Novorossiya".
"The last half a year we take rather loyal to the authorities a position, practically we don't lift an immigration question, and I don't see any, except the help to Novorossiya, reasons for our closing. Suddenly annual and more the prescription can treat the appeal to texts in only one way" — Prosvirnin told.
The deputy director of "The center of political technologies" Alexey Makarkin believes that the Russian authorities doesn't welcome a private initiative as also volunteers in Donbass from Russia, and the propagandists who remained in Moscow are insufficiently loyal and are at best temporary allies for the government.
"The Russian nationalists don't recognize the East of Ukraine — for them it is Novorossiya. And agreements with Petro Poroshenko they consider arrangements in Minsk as treachery and consider Novorossiya as a prototype of future Russia. The real revival of Russia will begin with Novorossiya", – explains them to the logician Makarkin.
The specified groups of supporters, according to the expert, see Russia not simply large world player, but the country with different value system: communists dream of revival of the USSR, imperets – of revival of the Russian Empire, nationalists see in Novorossiya a prototype of the state of all Russians under one roof. The Russian government, according to the political scientist, is more pragmatic and sees in these ideas as threat to own existence. Besides many supporters of revolt in Donbass treat the Russian government skeptically and would like its change, Makarkin speaks.
The following picture turns out: it aren't pleasant to the authorities that they agitate in Moscow, and activists take offense that the authorities doesn't allow to hold a rally to them, but allow liberals.
"But liberals are a plausible foe for the government — they can call them on TV national traitors, playing the same nationalists against them, to put the clamps... And activists of "Novorossiya" though not in a mainstream because only the minority of populations wants open war, they are more difficult to demonize: they are "for our people". So far as concerns compatriots and Novorossiya to explain that they are bad, it is more difficult: it is impossible to call them the American agents. Therefore they also have troubles with authorities" — the expert argues.
In turn, the director of the Center of a political environment Alexey Chesnakov considers that the humanitarian aid to Donbass comes in former volume. And complaints of some field commanders are connected first of all by that the help by them goes directly to the population.
"And how many organizers of the previous meetings "Fight for Donbass" collected "escorts" with humanitarian aid? A certain part of excited nationalist public has a barefaced desire to use events in Donbass for own public relations. So far their activity didn't pour out in concrete forms of the help to Novorossiya's inhabitants. The most serious help goes without any meetings: same "Limonov supporters" without demonstrations and meetings go to be at war as rebels" — the political scientist concludes.
Professor of MGIMO Valery Solovey considers above-mentioned problems of supporters of the pro-Russian separatists as links of one chain. According to him, this punishment of the most active propagandists and caution by that who will be dissatisfied to "Novorossiya's plums". Most likely, will reach and prosecution of nationalist volunteers who will be accused of "illegal crossing of border", "herding of the military-grade weapon and explosives" and other, he is sure.
Still going with the “volunteers” lie?
Volunteers do not show in intact units up with heavy armor
I’m not an author of this article.
“Volunteers do not show in intact units up with heavy armor”
They do when Russia turns a blind eye to the rebel training areas near Rostov.
Fact is, the rebels have more armor, most of it captured, than they know what to do with. Kiev has admitted they have lost 60-65% of their hardware, and there was a Russian TV article last week about how the Rebels have turned a former locomotive plant in Donetsk into an Armor Repair Facility.
I find this article interesting in a way it describes the situation regarding domestic aspect of Russian politics towards this crisis. It actually mostly confirms my own observations that is why I posted it. What do you think about it?
transportation of 100 jackets our person crossed border there and back about 100 times.
Gawd it is shameful if they had to do same........
with tanks, APCs, Grads, and Bucs..
Maybe a little bottlenecking kept more airliners......
from being shot down.......
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